DAZ Studio is the perfect tool to design unique digital art and animations using virtual people, animals, props, vehicles, accessories, environments and more. Simply select your subject and/or setting, arrange accessories, setup lighting, and begin creating beautiful artwork. Inheriting the best of version 3, DAZ Studio 4 introduces a new look and feel focused on ease-of-use. There are new video tutorials included within the application to help users get up to speed quickly, along with many technological innovations to improve the creation experience. While compatible with past versions of 3D models and add-ons, DAZ Studio 4 enables the next generation of figures from DAZ 3D, the GenesisTM series. The Genesis series facilitates a whole new paradigm of figure creation, customization, and sharing.

The GenesisTM Series of Figures Made possible only by the advancements in DAZ Studio 4, is the extremely versatile Genesis series of figures. The Genesis series allows a virtually limitless set of figure shape variations that can all be created from a common base. These variations can range in both size and proportion while maintaining a common joint system (rigging). Everything from massive, muscle-bound freaks or voluptuous and curvy super-heroines to adorably cute, little, toon-kids or frightfully disgusting monsters can all be created AND combined. Each of these unique figure shapes exists as its own DNA entry within the gene pool of Genesis characters.

Content Management Service We've also added a new Content Management Service that makes finding and using 3D models and their accessories easier than ever before. Relying on a simple data base structure, the Content Management Service allows you to search for content in multiple ways, such as by keyword, category, and compatibility. This single system will handle content for multiple DAZ 3D software applications in the future which means no matter which DAZ 3D application you use, you'll always be able to find your 3D assets in the same way.

Smart Content In addition to the new Content Management Service that makes finding and using 3D models and their accessories easier than ever before, DAZ 3D introduces "Smart Content" in DAZ Studio 4. Smart Content contains information about itself so that when loaded into DS4, it lets DS4 know who it is, what it is, and what it works with. This means that instead of loading a hairstyle and then browsing your content tree to find which obscure directory might contain the texture color you want, DS4 is able to show context relevant content and when you select a hairstyle, DS4 is able to show you all the presets e.g. texture colors associated with that hairstyle.

TriAxTM Weight-Map System DAZ Studio 4 includes a new joint system that relies on hand-painted weight-maps to control the bending of a figure. This is an industry-standard approach that DAZ 3D has further advanced by allowing content creators to have a separate and distinct weight-map for each axis of any joint. This is known as the TriAxTM weight-map system. Using painted weight-maps provides content creators flexibility and precision over how the 3D figure mesh deforms around any type of joint. The ability to paint a separate map for each axis of rotation advances the level of mesh control around joints beyond anything else commonly achieved in the past.

Smart UV Presets While the Genesis series of figures will continue to become more diverse, you won't need to worry about figuring out which skin texture works with which shape. DAZ Studio 4 allows content creators to associate a specific UV set with the textures they create. Each content creator can design the optimal UV set for the shape they're texturing to make sure it looks its best. For the user, this means that all you need to do is load up the Genesis shape you like, browse to the associated skin texture preset, and DAZ Studio will automatically load the correct UV set for the texture you've selected.

DSF Format (DAZ Studio File Format) The new .DSF file format enables the transfer of the intelligent 3D content described above and provides a simpler format for exchange between applications that implement the DAZ 3D content engine. The file format is lightweight, easy to transfer, and provides a human-readable format for sharing scene information using an asset referencing scheme. All of this simply means that DAZ Studio now allows for the most realistic and versatile figures that we've ever produced. Every joint bends better, and every skin detail is more precise. Both proportions and mass of the figure can be altered in a variety of ways without ever losing the superior bending and detail within the mesh.

Updated User Interface The DAZ Studio user experience has been completely redefined with a focus on ease-of-use. Specifically, tools, widgets, panes, and menus have been re-arranged into context-relative groupings that allow you to get things done quickly and efficiently. The interface also has new styles available which introduce new icons, colors, and fonts to help provide better focus on what's relevant to what you're doing.